Community Development Plan Town of Norfolk
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN TOWN OF NORFOLK June 2004 Funding for this project is provided under Executive Order 418 by the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, the Department of Economic Development, and the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction. Project administration is provided by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR NORFOLK, MASSACHUSETTS Board of Selectmen Planning Board Prepared By: PGC Associates, Inc. 1 Toni Lane Franklin, MA 02038 (508) 533-8106 [email protected] GIS mapping assistance provided by: Metropolitan Area Planning Council 60 Temple Place Boston, MA 02111 June 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION . I-1 II. OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN . II-1 PLAN SUMMARY . II-1 INTRODUCTION . II-2 Statement of Purpose . II-2 Prior Open Space Protection Efforts . II-2 Planning Process and Public Participation . II-2 COMMUNITY SETTING . II-3 Regional Context . II-3 History . II-4 Population Characteristics . II-6 Growth and Development Patterns . II-8 ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS . II-14 Geology, Soils and Topography . II-14 Landscape Character . II-14 Water Resources . II-16 Vegetation, Wildlife and Fisheries . II-18 Scenic and Unique Environments . II-21 Rare and Endangered Species . II-23 Environmental Challenges . II-26 INVENTORY OF LANDS OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION INTEREST . II-27 Inventory of Protected Open Space. II-27 Public and Private Recreation Facilities . II-27 Chapter 61, 61A and 61B Lands . II-33 Other Lands of Conservation or Recreation Interest . II-33 COMMUNITY VISON . II-37 Description of Process . II-37 Statement of Open Space and Recreation Goals . II-37 . NEEDS ANALYSIS . II-38 Resource Protection Needs . II-38 Community Needs . II-39 Management Needs . II-39 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES . II-41 FIVE-YEAR ACTION PLAN . II-43 Action Plan . II-43 Potential Implementation Mechanisms . II-43 III.. HOUSING PLAN . III-1 INTRODUCTION . III-1 CURRENT CONDITIONS AND TRENDS . III-1 Inventory . III-1 Housing Occupancy . III-3 Recent and Projected Growth . III-3 Projected Buildout . III-7 HOUSING AFFORDABILITY . III-7 House Values and Rent Levels . III-7 The Supply-Demand Housing Gap . III-11 Chapter 40B . III-13 Existing Affordable Housing Stock . III-15 HOUSING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES . III-15 1992 Master Plan & 2002 Growth Management Plan Goals and Objectives . III-15 Town Actions Since Adoption of Master Plan . III-16 Updated Goals and Objectives . III-17 Locations/Quantities of New Housing . III-19 HOUSING STRATEGIES . III-20 IV. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN . IV-1 INTRODUCTION . IV-1 CURRENT ECONOMIC PROFILE . IV-1 Employment and Unemployment . IV-1 Industrial and Commercial Assessments . IV-9 Commercial and Industrial Real Estate Market . IV-9 POTENTIAL FUTURE JOB CREATION . IV-12 Town Center (B-1 District) . IV-13 Route 1A/115 (C-1 District) . IV-15 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES . IV-18 Economic Development Goals and Objectives From 1999 . IV-18 Master Plan Updated Goals and Objectives . IV-19 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES . IV-21 V. TRANSPORTATION PLAN . V-1 INTRODUCTION . V-1 CURRENT CONDITIONS AND TRENDS . V-2 Traffic Counts . V-2 Crash Rates . V-6 Right of Way and Pavement Widths . V-6 Intersection Operations . V-6 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities . V-8 RECENT AND PENDING COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT . V-8 RECOMMENDATIONS . V-14 Physical Improvements . V-14 Regulatory Measures . V-15 VI. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER . VI-1 SYNTHESIS . VI-1 NEXT STEPS . VI-1 POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS . VI-2 VII. REFERENCES . VII-1 LIST OF TABLES 1 Population Growth, 1970-2000 . II-6 2 Population Density, 1980-2000 . II-6 3 Age, 1990-2010 . II-7 4 Land Use Changes, 1971-1999 . II-9 5 Rare and Threatened Species . II-24 6 Protected Open Space . II-30 7 Public and Private Recreation Facilities . II-32 8 Chapter 61, 61A and 61B Lands . II-35 9 Other Lands of Conservation or Recreation Interest . II-36 10 Types of Housing Units in Norfolk and Massachusetts, 2000 III-2 11 Age of Housing Units in Norfolk and Massachusetts, 2000 III-2 12 Number of Rooms in Norfolk and Massachusetts, 2000 . III-4 13 Average Household Size in Norfolk and Massachusetts, 2000 III-4 14 Population Growth in SWAP Subregion, 1990-2000 . III-5 15 Population Projections to 2010, by Age Cohort . III-6 16 Building Permits in Norfolk and Surrounding Towns, 1997-2002 III-8 17 Median Housing Unit Values and Rents, Norfolk and Surrounding III-9 Towns 1990and 2000 18 Norfolk Values and Percentage of Income Needed for Housing III-10 for Owner-Occupied Units, 2000 19 Norfolk Rents and Percentage of Income Needed for 2000 . III-10 20 Median Sales Price, 1999-2003 . III-12 21 Median Family Income in Norfolk . III-12 22 Norfolk Housing Supply-Demand Gap . III-14 23 Employment and Wages and Establishments in Norfolk, 1990-2001 IV-2 24 Labor Force, Employment &Unemployment in Norfolk, 1990-2001 IV-3 25 Employment and Wages by Industry, 2000 . IV-5 26 Major Industries in Norfolk, 2001 . IV-7 27 Commercial and Industrial Assessments, Fiscal Years, 1990-2004 IV-10 28 Percentage of Total New Growth Represented by Residential and IV-11 Non-Residential Development, Fiscal Years 1992-2004 29 Existing Development in the B1 District . IV-14 30 Existing Development in the C1 District . IV-16 31 Potential Development in the C-1 District . IV-17 32 Existing Development in the C1 District . V-10 33 Potential Development in the C-1 District . V-10 34 Future Additional Vehicle Trip Generation. V-13 LIST OF FIGURES 1 Zoning Map . II-13 2 Soils and Geologic Features . II-15 3 Water Resources . II-17 4 Vegetation/Wildlife . II-19 5 Unique Features . II-22 6 Estimated and Priority Habitats . II-25 7 Protected and Recreational Open Space . II-28 8 Five Year Action Plan . II-44 9 Housing Suitability Map . III-22 10 Economic Development Map . IV-22 11 AM Peak Hour Volumes, Route 1A/Route 115 Intersection . V-4 12 PM Peak Hour Volumes, Route 1A/Route 115 Intersection . V-5 13 Crashes During Period 1998-May 2004, Route 1A/Route 115 . V-7 Intersection and Vicinity 14 Transportation Map . V-12 15 Putting It All Together Map . VI-2 I. INTRODUCTION The Town of Norfolk has experienced significant growth in recent years. Its population increased by 13.9% during the 1990’s, after increasing by 45.7% during the 1980’s. This has placed significant stress on the Town’s resources and ability to maintain services to support this growth. The Town has already taken a number of steps to address its economic development, open space and recreation, transportation and housing needs. In response to the Master Plan completed in 1992, the Town adopted a mixed-use zoning district in order to encourage development of a traditional New England town center. It is also encouraging commercial development in the area of the Route 1A/Route 115 intersection. There are two other mixed-use districts for commercial development and age-restricted housing. Norfolk recently joined with other area towns to successfully seek designation as an Economic Target Area. An Open Space and Recreation Plan for Norfolk was completed in 1996. With assistance of a state grant, it purchased the Lind Farm for open space in 1998. The Town completely revised its open space subdivision bylaw in 2002. An “Open Space Corridor Strategic Plan” was completed in 2003. Regarding housing, the Town’s B1 zoning district allows apartments on the upper floors of commercial buildings. The Zoning Bylaw also provides a density bonus of 10% for affordable housing and for using the open space subdivision option. One age-restricted housing development of 43 units is under construction and a second proposing 136 units (plus commercial space) is in the permitting process. In 2004, the Town approved a comprehensive permit development in the Town Center providing for 44 units of which 11 are affordable. The Town also adopted the Community Preservation Act in 2001 providing a means of funding initiatives in open space, recreation, housing and historic preservation. The purpose of this Community Development Plan is to provide information on existing conditions in the areas of open and recreation, housing, and economic development as well as some recommendations for action. It will also serve as an update to the 1996 Open Space and Recreation Plan and as a first step toward an update of the 1992 Master Plan. It begins with the update of the Open Space and Recreation Plan, followed by the housing element the economic development element and then a transportation element focusing on the area of the Route 1A/Route 115 intersection. The Putting It All Together section concludes by noting how the pieces fit together. I-1 II. OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN PLAN SUMMARY This 2004 Open Space and Recreation Plan for Norfolk was prepared as the town continues to face rapid population growth as well as commercial and industrial development. This development adds stress on the region’s natural resources as well as the character of the Town. This Plan contains the following major elements: • A description of the public input utilized in developing the Plan; • A demographic profile of the Town; • A summary of recent growth trends; • An environmental portrait of Norfolk • An inventory of existing protected open space and recreation lands in Town; • An analysis of open space and recreation needs; • A statement of goals and objectives; and • A five-year action plan. Table 4 of the report presents land use changes from 1971 to 1999. From that table, it can be derived that Norfolk’s 1970 population of 4,656 occupied 1,231 acres in 1971, or about .26 acres per person.